Inclosing case for automatic music-rolls.



.r H G I R W QM M INGLOSING CASE FOR AUTOMATIO'MUSIG ROLLS.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 8. 1902.

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[ IE/r215- 5 M UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

INCLOSING CASE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSIC-ROLLS- SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 767,673, dated August 16, 1904.

Application filed July 8, 1902. Serial No. 114,728. (No model.)

To all 1077,0112, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORRIS S. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improyement in InclosingCases for Automatic Music-Rolls, of which the following is aspecification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, inWhich Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improved inclosing case,showing a portion of the music-roll drawn out. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4: is an end view.

Similar reference-figures refer to similar parts in the different views.

It is customary to exchange the rolls of music used in ZEolian organs orused in pneumatic playing instruments after the manner of thecirculating-library system, and in the various exchanges, even whereextraordinary care is taken, the repeated handling of the rolls resultsin their becoming more or less soiled and dog-cared, and in the interestof cleanliness as well as good sanitation the present invention has beendevised; and the primary object thereof is to preserve the roll and keepit neat and clean.

Another object is to keep it from the atmosphere, incasin g itpractically air-tight when not in use, and this is brought about byinclosing it within a telescopic air-tight case, which is capable ofbeing entirely closed when the roll is not being used and which may beeasily opened to admit of the withdrawal of the roll in the playing ofthe instrument or taken apart when it is desired to take out the oldroll or to put in a new one, as this is always necessary sooner or laterin consequence of an old roll ultimately becoming worn out.

Another feature of my invention is to render it sensitive to theexpansion and contraction which take place in the paper as a result ofthe absorption of moisture, as no roll has ever been devised for thispurpose which is not susceptible to "more or less change as an incidentto exposure and atmospheric changes.

With these objects in view my present invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts,which will behereinafter described, and pointedont in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 represent two metallicshells, preferably of cylindrical form, adapted to telescope practicallythroughout their entire length, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Thesecylinders are each provided with acorrespondingly-sized opening 3 in theside, which of course may vary in size, although preferably theseopenings are about a fourth or a fifth of the circumference of thecylinders, and they are made to correspond in size, so that when it isdesired that the opening should reach its full capacity the two exactlyregister, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4. Of course the size of theopening is subject to variation according to the turns of one cylinderupon the other, and, as shown in Fig. 3, the two openings are entirelyclosed. To facilitate this turning action of one cylinder withrespect-to the other, their outer ends are provided with heads 4 4,which may, if desired, be milled at the edge to render theirmanipulation perfectly easy.

Within the cylinders the spool upon which the roll is wound is revolublysupported. This spool may be variously constructed, but preferablyconsists of a metal tube 5, the ends of which are closed by heads 6and7, soldered, brazed, or otherwise secured therein. At the center ofthese heads holes 7 7 are formed, and the central spindle 8, extendingthrough the center of the tube 5, also extends through these holes 7 7and constitutes a bearing for the spool to turn upon. The spindle has aspiral spring or springs 9 coiled thereon, and this spiral spring issecured at one end to the spindle and at the other end to the spool orone of the heads thereof. Clutches 10 and 11, let in from the oppositeends of the telescopic case,'re ceive the ends of the spindle 8, thespindle being preferably hooked to one of these clutches, as shown, andresting freely in the other, so that the spindle is held fast againstrotating, somewhat after the manner of the well-known curtain-shaderoller, while the spool itself is capable of turning thereon. Theclutches 10 and 11 are provided. with re cesses 12 therein to registerwith a suitable IOO support on the instrument to prevent the inclosingcase when in position on the instrument from turning, as it is of coursevery essential that it be held perfectly stationary. The outer ends ofthe roll 13 are inclosed between disks 1 L ll, which latter are looselymounted on the spindle 8, and these disks bear on their outer surfacesagainst the rounded inner ends of the clutches. The purpose of thesedisks therefore is to cause the telescopic cylinders to respond to anylateral expansion taking place in the paper of the roll due to theabsorption of moisture. In providing for such expansion it is necessarythat it take place equally at each end of the roll, as otherwise theroll would be more or less displaced from its required alinement, andthis would result in the failure of the perforations therein to passover the tracker board in exact alinement. It is needless to say thatthis is absolutely necessary to the successful operation of one of theseautomatic actions, and it is in dealing with this proposition that mypresent invention is largely concerned, as any twisting or irregularexpan sion would impair the perfect action, if not utterly destroy itsefficiency. Heretofore no successful method has been devised forinsuring a perfect alinement of the perforations with the holes in thetracker-board, and the expansion and contraction of the paper haveresulted not infrequently in an imperfect operation of the action.

While the two cylinders are held together by frictional contact, it isobvious that this should be so slight that they will yield read.- ily tothe expansion which may take place in the paper, and while variousexpedients may be resorted to, as merely a loose fit between the twocylinders is necessary, still one method which I have in mind foraccomplishing this resides in the spring-tongues 16 16, which arestamped out of the body of the metal of one of the cylinders andslightly deflected to bear upon the surface of the other cylinder. Inthis way the frictional bearing contact is slight, permitting thecylinders to yield to the expansive action of the paper, and at the sametime the cylinders are held together with sufficient frictional contactfor the purposes of the invention.

The outer end of the paper-roll is attached to the take-up roll in anyapproved manner. Also as a provision to prevent the paper-roll frombeing withdrawn into the case due to the action of the spring 9 whenallowed to wind up a blade-spring 19 is adapted to lie in position tostrike the enlargement 20 on the end of the paper, thereby preventingthe end of the paper from entering the case farther, and theblade-spring is so adjusted that as the end of the paper begins toapproach the spring begins to bear upon it and have a slight brakingaction to retard its speed and check the action of the spring.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the paper-roll is woundupon its spool 5 the two cylinders may be rotated until the openings 3are entirely closed, thus affording a packing and shipping case whichexcludes air and moisture and preserves the paper inclosed therein foran indefinite period. Then when the roll is to be used the case isapplied to the instrument and opened more or less as desired, (the fullcapacity of the openings 3 or less, if wishedfl and by drawingout an endand hooking it to the take-up roll the music-roll is ready for use.After the music-roll has been entirely wound upon the take-up roll it isrerolled by the action of the spring in the spool of the inclosing case,and the tension of this spring is not only sufficient to wind the papertightly and uniformly, but after it shall have been completely reeledthe tension of the spring still exerts itself in retaining the paperrollcompactly spooled in the inclosing case. When thus incased, no fingeringof the paperroll is necessary, and as a result it is kept clean andfresh and its life and usefulness are greatly prolonged. Furthermore, itcan go through a great many more exchanges of hands before it isnecessary to substitute a new paper-roll, thus not only insuringneatness and sanitary cleanliness, but also preserving itsperfecteificiency in operation for an indefinite period.

In reloading the device it is readily accomplished by simply pulling thetwo cylinders apart endwise and removing the spool, when a newpaper-roll may be clipped or otherwise attached to the spool and quicklywound thereon. This operation is perfectly simple.

I have shown a pair of telescopic inclosing cylinders and expandingdisks 14 14, by which the telescopic cylinders will be moved one uponthe other by the expansion of the music-roll in connection with aspringactuated spool; but that part of my present invention relating tothe expansible feature of the telescopic cylinders is not confined toits use with a springactuated spool, as I am aware that other means ofrewinding the music-roll may be employed in connection with theexpanding cylinders and disks.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination with a pair of telescopic shells, of aspring-actuated spool revolubly supported within the longitudinal centerof the case, and adapted to reel a paperroll thereon, and disksinterposed between the ends of the paper-roll and case whereby to extendoutwardly against the ends of the case, whereby to cause the latter tolengthen as a result of any expansive action which may take place in thepaper-roll, substantially as described.

2. An inclosing case for automatic musicrolls consisting of a pair oftelescopic cylinders having openingsin their sides, and frictionallyheld from longitudinal movement on each other, a spool revolublysupported within said telescopic cylinders and adapted to reel apaper-roll thereon, and loosely-mounted disks interposed between theends of the paperroll and said inclosing case, and adapted to be pressedagainst said telescopic cylinders by the expansion of the paper-roll.

3. In an inclosing case for automatic musicrolls, the combination of apair of telescopic cylinders having openings in their sides, a spoolrevolubly supported within said cylinders and adapted to reel apaper-roll thereon, loosely-mounted disks interposed between the ends ofthe paper roll and said case and adapted to be pressed against the endsof the case by the expansion of said paper-roll, and elastic tonguescarried by one of said cylinders and bearing upon the surface of theother cylinder in order to exert a frictional resistance to thelongitudinal movement of the cylinders one upon the other.

4.. In an inclosing case for an automatic music-roll, the combinationwith an inclosing cylinder having an opening in its side, a spoolrevolubly held in said cylinder and adapted. to reel a paper-rollthereon, of a blade-spring having its freeend bent inwardly toward thecenter of the cylinder and adapted to press against the paper-roll,substantially as described.

5. The combination with an endwise-expansible case having an opening inits side, of a spring-actuated spool revolubly supported therein forcausing the winding of a strip secured thereto when not otherwisehindered,

and means interposed between the ends of the spool and the ends of thecase against which to receive any expansive action of the material uponthe spool whereby to cause a corresponding expansion of the case,substantially as described.

6. The combination With an outer casing having an opening in its side,of a spindle secured to the'case and connected at both ends thereto, aspool supported to turn on the spindle, a spring connecting the spool tothe spindle, and disks loosely mounted on the spindle at each end of thespool, and adapted to yield to any expansion'of the material reeled uponthe spool, substantially as described.

7 The combination with a pair of cylindrical shells arranged totelescope with each other, and provided with openings in their sidescapable of registering or being closed or partially closed by rotatingthe shells with respect to each other, of a spindle secured to the endof one shell and having loose sliding connection with the end of theother, a spool mounted to turn thereon, a spring attached to the spooland to the spindle for actuating the spool, disks loosely mounted on thespindle, against which the material reeled upon the spool may expand,whereby to cause an expansion of the cylinders.

Dated this 1st day of July, 1902.

MORRIS S. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

Burns B. FOWLER, VERON E. Honens.

